SoulSearching Sunday!

Have you ever prayed to God for something  and received a “no” for an answer?  What was your reaction? Did you accept His will or did you complain and/or question?

Paul encourages us in Phillipians 2: 14-16 : “⁴ Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], ¹⁵ so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness], ¹⁶ holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result.”

Balaam had done his best to curse Israel, (Num. 23-24) but was unsuccessful, because God’s spirit would speak blessings for His people through him!

God demands holiness. The Law, however, is something that man cannot achieve in his own sinful, imperfect efforts.  In our reading, we are given 2 examples of Christ being the only fulfillment of that Law which provides the holiness that reconciles us  to God. 

1 .  The purifying sacrifice of the red heifer:

““This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come.” ( 19:2). The sacrifice of the red heifer foreshadows the sacrifice of Christ who is “ without spot or blemish”.  

John Wesley explains:

Red — A fit colour to shadow forth th

No blemish — A fit type of Christ.

Upon which never came yoke — Whereby may be signified, either that Christ in himself was free from all the yoke or obligation of God's command, till for our sakes he put himself under the law; or that Christ was not forced to undertake our burden and cross, but did voluntarily chuse it. He was bound and held with no other cords but those of his own love.

The heifer is burned outside of the camp which compares to the terrible sufferings of Christ which also took place outside of Jerusalem. “For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” Hebrews 13:11-13 

The ashes of the sacrifice were sprinkled upon the unclean person to purify Him. We also must be purified by having the purifying blood of Christ as our acceptable covering of righteousness. 

“For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and fresh water shall be added in a vessel.” Numbers 19:17 

John Wesley :  running water — Waters flowing from a spring or river, which are the purest. These manifestly signify God's spirit, which is oft compared to water, and by which alone true purification is obtained. Those who promise themselves benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to the influence of his spirit, do but deceive themselves; for they cannot be purified by the ashes, otherwise than in the running water.

2. The healing restoration of the bronze snake.

The Israelites are in a land that lacks water and they are very thirsty.  Snakes enter the camp and these snakes are “ fiery”.  As the people are bitten they suffer even more thirst and discomfort.

I couldn’t help but think about all of the worldly pursuits we make in our attempts to quench our spiritual thirst.  The more we try to find satisfaction apart from Christ, the more spiritual misery and suffering we endure.

God told Moses to put a snake up on a pole.  This signifies Christ being raised up on the crucifixion cross for all to see.  “So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.”  (21:9). We must spiritually “see Christ”.  We must see our need for him. We must see that we can not save ourselves.  We must by faith see our redemption “ in Him” and by Him alone. 

Mankind struggles to submit to God and be obedient.  We see it over and over again in the examples of the Israelites in the wilderness.  When God commanded Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock at Meribah and God would provide water, Moses decided to take matters into his own hands.  He struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it.  What a great price had to be paid for that sinful rebellion. “And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”” (20:12 ). We can not attain our own salvation! 

John Wesley: Because they rebelled — This was one but not the only reason. God would not have Moses and Aaron to carry the people into Canaan, for this reason also, to signify the insufficiency of the Mosaical law and Aaronical priesthood to make them perfectly happy, and the necessity of a better, and to keep the Israelites from resting in them, so as to be taken off from their expectation of Christ.

It’s all about Jesus.  We desperately need Him.  He’s the only way to be accepted and saved from our fallen, sinful condition.  He’s the only perfect sacrifice.  We can not save ourselves.  We must “see Him” through the eyes of faith and accept the love he extends to us. 

image: Wikipedia

Have you ever caught yourself finishing up your time of worship by wondering what’s next on the “to-do” list? Or still harboring hurts over something that was said or done to you recently or in the past? Do you ever leave feeling the need to critique the music, the message, or the man? Have you ever caught yourself  going through the ritual forgetting WHO you’re there to worship? I will admit there have been times in the past when I probably could’ve been found guilty of all the above.

“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God.” -Numbers 15:38-40

 

The first part of chapter 15 simply repeats certain laws God had already given, and planed to enforce, but they would also serve to remind them that even in the wilderness they were to live as those belonging to the land, even though for the time being they were excluded from it.

By obeying God's commandments, Israel would be set apart and consecrated to God, His holy people (v. 40). God's demand for faithfulness here spoke of the importance of Israel's relationship to Him. After all the greater you love someone the more you wish them to be kept from harm and given the best of everything. Therefore, it was more than an example of God saying, “Obey, because I said so.” It was based on their relationship to God: “Obey, because you are my people, and I am your God.”

 

The color blue was always the symbol of heavenly beauty and thus they were constantly reminded that they were under the direct government of God. 

The tassels attached with a blue cord, was to be a tangible reminder  that was to help them remember the one fact which they seemed to have forgotten when they had permitted the difficulties on the way to fill them with fear: They were His, His children, and He was their God. It was time to stop seeking after their own desires as though they were left on their own and begin looking to and trusting Him!

The iWorship devotion today included an excellent definition of worship from the former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple (I added if as a photo in case you wished to save it) :

In other words to focus your thoughts and attentions on the One who is truly worthy! The Israelites were commanded to wear tassels in order to remember. Having an object or following special holy-day observances to help us remember really aren’t a bad idea at all, if they serve as an aid to keep us faithful to the One we owe everything to!

Do you keep visual reminders of God's Word around you at all times? Perhaps:

·         A piece of jewelry; necklace, ring of bracelet

·         Bibles set out to be seen

·         Scriptures posted throughout the house or on your desktop computer.

·         Or even a combination of some of the above.

As long as they remind us always that we belong to God and we need to obey Him, especially when our eyes and hearts are tempted by this world. 

Stop by Women in the Word today! I'm hoping to share something that has helped me to keep focused on Him and to be more of a daughter that pleases Him!

Monday Feb. 5, The Seven Lamps {Num. 8:1-10:36}

Two census are taken of the tribes of Israel during their journey to the promised land. One taken first at Mount Sinai, and the second in Moab. Thus we get the book of Numbers, or Bemidar (the Jewish title). The first ten chapters describe how Moses organizes the people of Israel for the trip ahead of them. Included is the dedicating of the Levites, the first Passover since the exodus, and God’s instructions to Israel about when they were to camp, and when they were to travel. But what sticks with me in chapters 8-10, is the golden lampstand and the seven lamps.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in front of the lamp stand.” Aaron therefore did so; he mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand just as the Lord has commanded Moses. (8:2-3) 

In Exodus, God gave detailed instructions as to how the lampstand was to be made. It needed to have seven branches, which is the Hebrew number of completion or perfection, and was to be placed in the tabernacle in the first section called the Holy Place. Being the only light in the tabernacle, it was the job of Aaron and his sons to make sure that both day and night the light burned brightly and never went out. Before the golden menorah were seven lamps which provided supporting light.

Just like all things regarding the tabernacle, the lampstand is a symbol of Christ Jesus, the true Light of the world. I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life. (John 8:12) Jesus calls all who follow Him out of darkness, and into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9) And just like the high priests who needed the light of the lampstand to approach God, we too need Jesus to approach God in worship and to receive salvation. For as Jesus says in John 4:6, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 

So if Jesus is the lampstand, we in turn are the lamps supporting Him. He calls us to be examples of His glorious light in a spiritually dark world. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.(Matt. 5:14-16)

Our mission as Christians is to be “lights burning with the fire of heaven” (Dr. Charles Stanley) Today and everyday let’s lead lives that are shining with the light of Jesus and out of love for Him and our God, spread the saving message of the Gospel so that all will praise our Father in heaven!

SoulSearching Sunday!